Landon in The Literary Gazette 1826/Past 2
Literary Gazette, 10th June, 1826, Page 364
ORIGINAL POETRY.
THE PAST.
And years have past since last I gazed
Upon thy faultless brow—
Have past without a sign of change—
Thou art just as lovely now.
Yet somewhat there of change has come,
Though what I scarce may say;—
Thou lookest as though our parting hour
Had been but yesterday.
Thy lip smiles—but not with the smile
It wore in days gone by;
'Tis studied, as a sunny mask,
To hide the rising sigh.
A coronet of gems and gold
Is shining through thy hair;
It is not worth the sweet wild flowers
That thou wert wont to wear.
Yet let that pass; and let us talk
Over the days of old:—
O no! I could not speak of them
To listener so cold!
That smile, it freezes up the flow
Of many a kindly thought—
That courtly carelessness!— And thus
With thee the world has wrought!
Is this the sweet and simple girl,
Whose inmost soul would gush
At her least word—whose laugh and tear
Were genuine as her blush?
I knew thee wed to wealth and state—
'Twas with a foolish joy:
I might have felt that all in life
Had its own deep alloy.
But this—my once as sister—this
I dream'd not to behold;
Thy candour into falsehood turn'd,
And thy once warm heart cold.
It jars the thoughts of former days,
To see thee as thou art:
Farewell! and can it be relief
From one so loved to part!IOLE.